light CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1997 1.G Service Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road
is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or
no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or
if the pressure in one or
more
is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road.
If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is
to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
I NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles
or standing water, water can come in through
your engine’s air intake and badly damage your
’ engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0 Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just
your parking lamps
-- to help make you more visible
to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared
to have your view restricted
by road spray.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires”
in the Index.)
4-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll
want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here
are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
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Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light
is there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When
you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer,
not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend
to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when
you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of
the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready
to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
GM dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things
you can check before a trip:
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Windsh.ield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weuther Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Dri-ving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving
under severe conditions, .include a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle. your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most
of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
- ......... ........ ......... ........ ......... ........ ......... ........ ......... ........ ......... ........ ..... 1 11.1u1
V’
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This
saves fuel. When
you run the engine, make it go a
little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that
you get
and it keeps the battery (or batteries) charged.
You will
need a well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later
on with your
headlamps. Let
the heater run for awhile. If you have a
diesel engine you may have to run it at a higher speed
to get enough heat.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it
as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
fii I
in
The CertificatiodTire label is found on the rear edge
of the driver’s door. The label shows the size of your
original tires and the inflation pressures needed
to obtain
the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is called
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Wiring Harness
The light-duty trailer wiring harness is a six-wire
harness assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer
wiring package is an eight-wire harness assembly. The
harness is stored under the vehicle, along the driver’s
side rear corner of the frame rail.
The heavy-duty trailer
wiring harness has a 30-amp feed wire. Both harnesses
come without connectors and should be wired by a
qualified electrical technician. The technician can use
the following color code chart when connecting the
wiring harness to your trailer.
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Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes (eight-wire
harness only)
Orange: Trailer accessory (eight-wire harness only)
Light Green: Back-up lamps
Brown: Parking lamps
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal
Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal
White (heavy gage): Ground wire
White (light gage): Center high-mounted stoplamp
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap it
to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave it
loose enough
so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original place. Wrap
the harness together
and
tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight
if
you need more light.
Be sure the batteries have enough water.
You
don’t need to add water to the Delco Freedom@
battery (or batteries) installed in every new
GM
vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be sure
the right amount of fluid is there.
If it is low, add
water to take care
of that first. If you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or
on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do,
you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to an unpainted
metal engine
part or a body metal surface. Don’t
connect positive
(+) to negative (-) or you will get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts, too. And don’t connect the negative
(-) to
negative
(-).
A CAUTION: 1
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep
your hands away from moving parts
once the engine
is running. -1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating (Gasoline Engine)
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your vehicle’s
instrument panel.
If you have a diesel engine, you will also
find a low coolant light on your instrument panel.
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Engine
Overheating’’ in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming
from it.
Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in
it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine
is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving
with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty.
5-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as
well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting
your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning
the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear.
If that doesn’t get you out after a few tries,
you may
need to be towed out. If you do need
to be towed out,
see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Axle Engine Coolant
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
What to
Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index. The cooling
s stem
in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL
8 engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or 150,000 miles
(240
000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system
and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating,
see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should .